Understanding - January, 1956. First issue. UFO, New Age / from the Collection of Max Miller

El Monte, CA: Understanding, 1956. First Edition of the January, 1956 issue; the first issue, Vol I, No.1. From the collection of Max Miller, of Flying Saucers International and the "Saucers" publication. Octavo, printed wrappers, 16 pp. + book list. Fine. Apparent discoloration in the scans are scanning artifacts, and do not exist in the piece. Rather spectacular condition for a softbound issue from 1956. A scarce publication from one of the plethora of UFO investigatory organizations of the "First Age" of UFOlogy, which was essentially the fifties, Understanding is one of those which took the direction of reporting sightings and discussing the nature of UFO and extraterrestrial life in general; they, like so many of the embryonic organizations of the years immediately following Kenneth Arnold's Cascade Mountain sighting, perhaps lacked the funds and personnel for field research that only a few groups, like NICAP, were able to assemble. Understanding is self-described herein as "a non-profit organization dedicated to the propagation of a better understanding among all the peoples of the earth, and of those who are not of earth." Because all of these organizational publications - and the first full-length books written on UFO, as well - were prior to whatever the mystery of abduction might be about, the attitude in the first 10-12 years was almost universally an upbeat one, an attitude of almost automatic faith in the altruism of other intelligent life forms. No books or publications at that time dealt with abduction, but of contact, and benevolent earthly activity on the part of aliens was assumed even when there was no contact. Contents of this remarkably representative little publication: "International Understanding"; "The Relativity of Reality"; "Our Visitors From Space"; "The Antiproton and Energy Unlimited"; and more. A nice, historical UFOlogy collectible, in superior condition, from the collection of Max Miller, and, of course the first issue of a new publication. L103.…